ASU board rescinds Reggie Barlow's contract

Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow leads his team onto the field for the Jackson State game at the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala. on Saturday November 8, 2014.(Photo: Mickey Welsh / Advertiser)Buy Photo

Reggie Barlow's contract extension has been rescinded and Stacy Danley's settlement offer has been rejected.

The Alabama State University board of trustees voted on Friday to take back a three-year contract extension originally offered to Barlow, ASU's football coach who is now in his eighth season, and it declined a settlement offer that would've seen Danley, the school's former athletic director, drop his wrongful termination suit against the school in exchange for getting his old job back.

The Barlow contract extension was signed by Barlow, ASU president Gwendolyn Boyd and athletic director Melvin Hines in early September and Barlow began receiving an increased salary shortly thereafter.

"That contract was always pending board approval," ASU board chairman Locy Baker said. "That's common with all ASU contracts. That he began receiving the pay increase isn't that unusual. It's sort of like when the governor appoints a trustee – you know that that trustee is seated pending Senate approval."

Trustees declined to discuss the rejection of the Danley offer. However, a source familiar with the negotiations said the trustees' trouble with the settlement had less to do with Danley returning and more to do with a legal issue pertaining to the school's counter-claim against Danley.

Barlow's attorney, Donald Jackson, said Friday's actions by the board do not change their position on the coach's extension.

"Either he has a valid contract or there has been an act of promissory fraud committed by ASU," Jackson said. "It's the same position we've always held. It is against university policy to extend funds without the board first approving. So, either they've violated their own bylaws and possibly state law, and committed fraud in the process, or the president had the authority to execute this contract. That simple."

Barlow, who is in the final days of his current contract, received the extension just after the start of the season, when the Hornets were 1-1 and fresh off a win over Tennessee State. The contract became public several weeks later, when ASU officials responded to an Open Records Act request from the Montgomery Advertiser. At the time, ASU was in the midst of an ugly four-game losing streak that included a surprising loss to struggling rival Alabama A&M.

ASU fans apparently responded negatively, leading Hines to request Barlow's resignation in early November, less than two months after offering him the extension. Barlow said Hines told him the request for his resignation followed a meeting Hines held with university president Gwendolyn Boyd.

Boyd has made no public comments on Barlow, or anything else. She has ducked media questions at the conclusion of each of the last two board meetings and repeated requests for comment from her about numerous issues at the school have gone unanswered.

"This coach is being held responsible for the president and AD failing to have adequate communications with the board of trustees," Jackson said. "That's not his responsibility."

Jackson said Barlow was preparing his team for Saturday's Turkey Day Classic and looked forward to remaining at ASU to serve out his new contract.

Danley will be in court on Tuesday to report to the judge on where the recent settlement talks stand. Unless there is a new proposal, the judge is expected to assign a start date to the trial.